If you’ve been experiencing new aches and pains since switching to remote working, then the problem might just be the set-up of your home office. Charity Versus Arthritis has discovered that 89% of people who are suffering with back, shoulder or neck pain due to working from home, have not discussed the symptoms with their employer. If this sounds like you, then some simple furniture ergonomics can help you to create a positive and healthy workspace to thrive in.
Choosing your office location
If you’re lucky enough to have a quiet, dedicated home office to work from, then this is a great step towards creating the perfect remote working setup. It’s far easier to separate your home and work lives when there’s a door to close at the end of the day. If this isn’t possible then you might choose a landing or even an oversized cupboard of your home as your base.
The workspace you choose should:
- Have excellent lighting
- Avoid glare on the screen
- Not be in your bedroom to encourage positive sleep associations
Blinds or curtains can help to create the right lighting for your home office environment.
Finding the perfect workstation posture
To prevent musculoskeletal disorders along with fatigue, repetitive strain injury, diabetes and circulatory conditions, it’s important to set up your workstation around your natural posture.
Adjustable height desks and chairs from a reputable provider will ensure you have the perfect seated position. Your feet should be planted squarely on the floor whilst your knees must be level with your hips.
If you’re using a chair with a wheeled base, then this should be able to move freely.
Follow these points to find the right position for your arms:
- Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen
- The screen should be an arm’s length away from you
- Use armrests to support a natural elbow posture
- Your wrists should be in line with your forearm
- Your elbows should fall at a 90-100 degree space from your body.
Laptop or desktop
If you need computer access as part of your daily workload, then you’ll have the choice of a laptop or desktop computer as your main device.
Laptops are portable and support flexibility if you work in an environment where you need to be sat at the kitchen table one minute, and on the sofa the next. But unfortunately, they’re not an ideal solution for long term desk work.
On the other hand, desktops are fixed to your designated home office position. But by working with a static location for your computer, you can customise the environment so that it’s a perfect match for your body.
Don’t worry if you already have a laptop, you can simply invest in an external keyboard to attach to it instead.
If you’re worried about the suitability of your home office, it’s best to speak to your employer about the simple steps you need to take to work in a healthy environment.